What is a Planet?
A Planet is a celestial body that orbits a star and has enough mass for its gravity to give it a roughly spherical shape. Planets are among the most
fascinating
objects in the universe, and each has its own unique characteristics, atmosphere, and mysteries.
Our Solar System is home to eight extraordinary planets, ranging from rocky inner worlds to massive gas and ice giants in the outer regions. These worlds vary drastically, from scorching hot surfaces to freezing, windy atmospheres. Some planets are barren and quiet, while others are shrouded in violent storms that have lasted for centuries. Planets may have rings, dozens of satellites, and even underground oceans hidden beneath icy crusts.
Once considered the 9th planet, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2006 because it had not cleared the area around its orbit. However, we will still refer to Pluto as a planet below.
The nine planets from the Sun are, in order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
Planets Detailed List
| # | Photo | Name |
Distance to the Sun
(km) |
Radius
(km) |
Orbit Period
(Earth Days) |
Rotation Period
(Earth Days) |
to the Earth;
Closest Distance Farthest Distance Average Distance (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Mercury | 57,910,000 | 4,800 | 87.97 | 58.65 |
77,000,000 222,000,000 149,500,000 |
| 2 |
|
Venus | 108,200,000 | 12,100 | 224.70 | 243.16 |
38,000,000 261,000,000 149,500,000 |
| 3 |
|
Earth | 149,600,000 | 12,750 | 365.30 | 1 | |
| 4 |
|
Mars | 227,940,000 | 6,800 | 686.98 | 1.03 |
54,600,000 401,000,000 227,800,000 |
| 5 |
|
Jupiter | 778,330,000 | 142,800 | 4,332.59 | 0.41 |
588,000,000 968,000,000 778,000,000 |
| 6 |
|
Saturn | 1,424,600,000 | 120,660 | 10,759.20 | 0.43 |
1,200,000,000 1,700,000,000 1,450,000,000 |
| 7 |
|
Uranus | 2,873,550,000 | 51,800 | 30,684 | 0.72 |
2,570,000,000 3,200,000,000 2,885,000,000 |
| 8 |
|
Neptune | 4,501,000,000 | 49,500 | 60,190 | 0.68 |
4,300,000,000 4,700,000,000 4,500,000,000 |
| 9 |
|
Pluto | 5,945,900,000 | 3,300 | 90,465 | 6.01 |
4,280,000,000 7,500,000,000 5,890,000,000 |
Comparison of Planet Sizes
Distances of Earth from Other Planets
Earth - Mercury (Average: 149,500,000 km)
Earth - Venus (Average: 149,500,000 km)
Earth
Earth - Mars (Average: 227,800,000 km)
Earth - Jupiter (Average: 778,000,000 km)
Earth - Saturn (Average: 1,450,000,000 km)
Earth - Uranus (Average: 2,885,000,000 km)
Earth - Neptune (Average: 4,500,000,000 km)
Earth - Pluto (Average: 5,890,000,000 km)